{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T02:32:41Z","timestamp":1791772361535,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,28]],"date-time":"2022-06-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1656374400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Cancer-related anorexia\/cachexia is known to be associated with worsened quality of life and survival; however, limited treatment options exist. Although megestrol acetate (MA) is often used off-label to stimulate appetite and improve anorexia\/cachexia in patients with advanced cancers, the benefits are controversial. The present meta-analysis aimed to better elucidate the clinical benefits of MA in patients with cancer-related anorexia\/cachexia. A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, OVID Medline, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases found 23 clinical trials examining the use of MA in cancer-related anorexia. The available randomized, controlled trials were appraised using Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2) and they had moderate-to-high risk of bias. A total of eight studies provided sufficient data on weight change for meta-analysis. The studies were divided into high-dose treatment (&gt;320 mg\/day) and low-dose treatment (\u2264320 mg\/day). The overall pooled mean change in weight among cancer patients treated with MA, regardless of dosage was 0.75 kg (95% CI = \u22121.64 to 3.15, \u03c42 = 9.35, I2 = 96%). Patients who received high-dose MA tended to have weight loss rather than weight gain. There were insufficient studies to perform a meta-analysis for the change in tricep skinfold, midarm circumference, or quality of life measures. MA was generally well-tolerated, except for a clear thromboembolic risk, especially with higher doses. On balance, MA did not appear to be effective in providing the symptomatic improvement of anorexia\/cachexia in patients with advanced cancer.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm11133756","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,29]],"date-time":"2022-06-29T01:48:38Z","timestamp":1656467318000},"page":"3756","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":40,"title":["A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Clinical Use of Megestrol Acetate for Cancer-Related Anorexia\/Cachexia"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Yu Liang","family":"Lim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"MOH Holdings Pte Ltd., 1 Maritime Square, Singapore 099253, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Seth En","family":"Teoh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Dr, Singapore 117597, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Clyve Yu Leon","family":"Yaow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Dr, Singapore 117597, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daryl Jimian","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Dr, Singapore 117597, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7931-5333","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yoshio","family":"Masuda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Dr, Singapore 117597, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ming Xuan","family":"Han","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Paramedicine, Monash University Peninsula Campus, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wee Song","family":"Yeo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mount Elizabeth Hospital, 3 Mount Elizabeth, Singapore 228510, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8561-2513","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Qin Xiang","family":"Ng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MOH Holdings Pte Ltd., 1 Maritime Square, Singapore 099253, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1002\/jcsm.12059","article-title":"Pathophysiology of anorexia in the cancer cachexia syndrome","volume":"6","author":"Ezeoke","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. 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